Nine-year-old boy shoots sister, 13, dead after argument over video game controller

A 13-year-old girl has died after allegedly being shot in the back of the head by her nine-year-old brother because she refused to give him a video game controller, according to authorities in Monroe County, Mississippi.

The child was rushed to the Le Bonheur's Children's Hospital, in Memphis, Tennessee, but could not be saved as the bullet had entered her brain, it is reported in local press.

She died on Sunday evening.

Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell said she had been shot with a .25 calibre handgun, according to Mississippi news source the Clarion-Ledger.

It is not yet known how her brother got hold of the gun or whether he was aware of the consequences of his actions.

"He’s just nine. I assume he’s seen this on video games or TV,” said Sheriff Cantrell, as reported in the Clarion-Ledger.

"I don't know if he knew exactly what this would do. I can’t answer that. I do know it’s a tragedy.

"This is all new ground for us, we've never dealt with a kid shooting a kid at age nine.

"We don't know yet what kind of charges or if charges will be pressed. We want to make sure we’re doing everything correctly.

"That’s why I’m not too fast to say anything because there are juveniles involved.

"We want to do what’s right and we’re going to get it right."

Authorities say their mother was in another room feeding lunch to other children.

The case is still under investigation.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.